Known as "Jake" Arvey, he was the third-ranking member of the powerful political machine led by Chicago Mayor Ed Kelly.

Reflecting on the qualifications he required for someone to serve in his organization, Arvey once commented that Every man had to belong to a church, a lodge, some other group.

He had to be active in the Elks, masons, K of C, places where he could spread the word about the Democratic Party ... if an apartment was vacant and you moved in, the precinct captain was there to welcome you.

Our organization is geared to the masses, our candidates depend on the precinct captain and our captains are trained to go into the home and make personal contact with the voter.During World War II Arvey temporarily left his political career to serve as a colonel in the U.S. Army; he was the judge advocate of the 33rd Infantry Division, Illinois' National Guard unit, in the Pacific theater of the war.

[citation needed] Now known as "Colonel" or "Jack" Arvey, he found that the Chicago Democratic organization was in trouble due to numerous scandals and charges of corruption.

To improve the organization's reputation and its electoral chances, Arvey began promoting the candidacies of reformers and liberals; he also made a serious effort to clean up the city's politics.

[1] Both men were well-educated liberals whom Arvey felt would improve the image of the party and attract many independents and moderate Republicans.

However, as a presidential candidate Stevenson increasingly ignored Arvey and other professional Democratic politicians in favor of reformers and liberals in the party.